Adjustable width rotary finishing tool

ABSTRACT

THE ADJUSTABLE WIDTH ROTARY FINISHING TOOL COMPRISES A CARRIER OR HUB MADE FROM A PLURALTIY OF DISCS OR ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN SIDE BY SIDE ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP. THE HUB INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING ENDLESS GROOVES OR CHANNELS IN THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE HUB. THE HUB INCLUDES ANNULAR RIMS ADJACENT THE GROOVES, WITH THE GROOVES AND RIMS BEING FORMED BY THE DISCS. A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY SPACED OPENINGS EXTEND LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH THE RIMS AND THE END SURFACES OF THE HUB, EACH OPENING BEING DEFINED BY A SERIES OF ANNULAR BVEARING POINTS. A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING FINISHING FLAPS ARE PROVIDED WITH RETAINER MEANS ON THE INNER ENDS THEREOF WHICH EXTEND INTO THE GOOVES OF THE HUB IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CORRESPONDING BEARING POINTS. PIVOT PINS EXTEND THROUGH THE OPENINGS AND THE RETAINER MEANS OF THE FLAPS. WITH SUCH A CONSTRUCTION THE FINISHING FLAPS AND CORRESPONDING PINS ARE ARRANGED TO PIVOT THROUGH A SMALL PREDETERMINED ANGULAR MOVEMENT TO HELP MAINTAIN THE WHEEL IN PROPER BALANCE. THE LENGTH OF THE HUB MAY BE INCREASED BY ADDING DISCS TO THE HUB OR THE LENGHT MAY BE DECREASED BY REMOVING DISCS FROM THE HUB.

NOV. 23, 1971 1 A, BELANGER 3,621,622

ADJUSTABLE WIDTH ROTARY FINISHING TOOL @nl JM' ATTORNEYS 'United States Patent O 3,621,622 ADJUSTABLE WIDTH ROTARY FINISHING TOOL James A. Belanger, 17502 Rexwood,

Lavonia, Mich. 48152 Filed Sept. 10, 1969, Ser. No. 856,773

Int. Cl. B24b 9/02 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The adjustable width rotary finishing tool comprises a carrier or hub made from a plurality of discs or elements arranged in side by side abutting relationship. The hub includes a plurality of circumferentially extending endless grooves or channels in the outer surface of the hub. The hub includes annular rims adjacent the grooves, with the grooves and rims being formed by the discs. A plurality of radially spaced openings extend longitudinally through the rims and the end surfaces of the hub, each opening being defined by a series of annular bearing points. A plurality of generally radially extending finishing flaps are provided with retainer means onthe inner ends thereof which extend into the grooves of the hub in alignment with the corresponding bearing points. Pivot pins extend through the openings and the retainer means of the flaps. With such a construction the finishing flaps and corresponding pins are arranged to pivot through a small predetermined angular movement to help maintain the wheel in proper balance.The length of the hub may be increased by adding discs to the hub or the length may be decreased by removing discs from the hub.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS My copending application, Ser. No. 822,776, filed Feb. 24, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,833 dated Oct. 27, 1970, entitled Finishing Wheels, discloses and claims a finishing tool having a rotary hub and a plurality of generally radially extending pivotally mounted finishing aps. My copending application, Ser. No. 857,885, entitled A Finishing Flap Assembly, filed Sept. 15, 1969', discloses a replaceable finishing fiap assembly for use in the finishing tool of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The adjustable width rotary finishing tool of the present invention finds application in the metal finishing industry for buing Wheels, polishing wheels, grinding wheels and the like apparatuses for effecting buffing, brushing, burnishing, polishing, grinding and other surface finishing operations on metal or hard workpieces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved adjustable width rotary finishing tool is of a very simple and inexpensive construction and one in which the discs or elements, which are stacked in side by side relationship to form the hub, may be fabricated by a stamping, casting, molding or by a machining operation or the discs may be made by a combination of said operations. A tool of anydesired length may be constructed by merely adding or substituting discs to or from the hub structure. The discs may be radially aligned by use of a pair of rods or by mounting the discs on a sleeve and fixedly securing the discs thereto, as an example, by welding or brazing. The ends of the pins which provide the sole pivot support for the finishing aps are staked, cold headed or capped in such a manner to hold the tool together as a unit but which permits removal of the pins and the corresponding finishing iiaps from the hub for replace- 3,62l22 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 ice BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a front elevation of a finishing tool, with the majority of the finishing flaps removed, of the type disclosed in my copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 822,776.

RIG. 2 is a side elevational View of the finishing tool illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an adjustable width rotary hub having a plurality of elements or discs arranged in side by side abutting relationship.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View of another embodiment of the adjustable width rotary hub.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another embodiment of the adjustable width rotary hub.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modified disc for use in any of the hub structures illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 inclusive.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG-S. 1 and 2 illustrate a rotary finishing tool or wheel 10 of the type described and claimed in my copending application U.S. Ser. No. 822,776 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,833), aforesaid. The tool 10 includes a one piece cylindrical hub or carrier 12` having a longitudinal rotary axis 14. The hub 12 may be machined out of metal or plastic bar, block or tubular materials. Suitable metals which may be used are steel and aluminum. A suitable plastic material is nylon. In addition, the hub 12 may be cast or molded. An axial bore 16 extends completely through the center of the hub 12, with the opposite ends thereof being flat and defining end surfaces 18 and 20. The hub 12 is adapted to be mounted on and appropriately secured to a power driven shaft, not shown, which extends through bore 16, in a manner well known and understood in the art.

The outer periphery 24 of the hub 12 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially extending endless grooves 26. As an example, a total of four grooves 26 are illustrated in FIG. 2. The grooves v26 are of uniform depth and each groove 26 includes an inner or bottom annular surface 28 arranged on a radius R1 as shown in FIG. 1. The grooves 26 are separated by radially extending rims or walls 30 which are integral with the main portion of the hub 12.

The hub 12 is further provided with a plurality of equally spaced longitudinally extending holes or openings 32 having their centers arranged in a circle having a radius R2 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The holes 32 are spaced apart an equal distance. As an example, for a hub 12 having thirty openings 32, the center of each opening 32 would be spaced 12 degrees from adjacent openings. Each opening 32 extends through the end face 18, rims 30 and end face 20 intermediate the outer periphery 24 of the hub 12 and the bottom or inner annular surfaces 28 of grooves 26 so as to form a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular bearing points or areas. FIG. 2 illustrates each opening 32 as having three bearing points 34 intermediate the two end bearing points 36,

A plurality of elongated pivot pins 38 of circular cross section are mounted in each of the aforementioned openings 32 and upon which are mounted a series of replaceable finishing flaps `46. The pins 38 may be made from a fibrous or plastic material or from a suitable metal. The finishing aps 40 may be made from any suitable material presently utilized such as leather, cloth, sisal, coated abrasive cloth or other fibrous material or fabric. The

material may be dipped in a solution of resin or other suitable materials so as to vary the hardness of the flap `40 as is conventional in the art.

Each finishing flap assembly 40 has an elongated retainer 42 and a pack of iiexible material 44. Retainer 42 is of general U-shaped cross section having a pair of legs 46 and a curved connecting portion 48. The retainer 42 includes'a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches 50 with the notches 50 extending through the curved connecting portion 48 and extending towards the middle portion of the legs 46. The pack of flexible material 44 has one edge portion thereof interposed in the retainer 42 between the legs `46. A plurality of fastening elements such as staples S2 extend transversely through the pack `44 and legs 46, each fastening element securing the iiexible material 44 in a compressed condition to lock the exible material 44 to the retainer 42.

The portions of the retainer 42 intermediate the notches S form hinge type U-shaped sockets 54 which extend into grooves 26 of the hub 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The pin 38 is inserted through opening 32 so as to extend through the end surface 18, rims 30, sockets 54 and finally through the end surface 20 of hub 12.

The flaps 40 are thus supported by pins 38 so that their outer ends extend radially outwardly. In addition the flaps 40 are arranged in side by side relationship so as to form the pack of finishing iiaps 40 on the hub 12. By arranging the aps 40 and pivot pins 38 in the manner just described the flaps 40 are mounted for relatively slight but a predetermined amount of circumferential movement. The amount of movement is dependent on the number of flaps 40 utilized and the spacing thereof on the hub.

It has been found that the finishing tool 10 remains in balance throughout the normal life of the finishing flaps 40. It is believed that this balance is attained due to the fact that the flaps 40 are mounted for a relatively small but a predetermined amount of circumferential movement. It should be noted that the component parts of the finishing tool 10 are constructed and arranged so that the flaps 40 may be readily replaced from time to time as they wear out. To replace the used flaps 40 on the hub 12 it is first necesary to remove all of the pins 38 and thereby permit the flaps 40 to be withdrawn from the hub 12. Thereafter new finishing flaps 40 are mounted on the hub 12 in a manner described heretofore. A punch or other suitable tool may be used to assist in removing the pins 38.

When the finishing tool 10 is to be used the operator, after connecting the tool 10 to a source of power, brings the rotating hub into proximity with the work, with its axis of rotation substantially parallel with the surface to be treated, until the ends of the flaps 40 contact the surface as is well known in the art.

The specific finishing tool 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an outside diameter of 4" and a length of 4". The diameter of bore 16 is 201e/egg The diameter of annular surface 28 (equals 2m) is 3" while the diameter of the base circle for holes 32 (equals 2R2) is Sil/32. The holes 32 each have a diameter of %,2". There are thirty holes 32 spaced 12 apart. The two end rims each has a thickness of .250 `while the three intermediate rims each has a thickness of .490. The width of each groove is .510.

In FIG. 3 the hub 60 when assembled is similar in construction and function to hub 12 with the exception that hub 60 comprises a plurality of identical or similar elements or discs 62 arranged in side by side abutting relationship. With such a construction it is possible to construct a hub 60 of any required length. Each disc 62 includes a rim part 64 having a diameter of 4" and a spacer part 66 having a diameter of 3". The total width of disc 62 is .500 with the thickness of the rim part 64 being .245l and the thickness of the spacer part being .255".

' quired. Each disc 62 has a For a hub 60 having a length of 4", eight discs 62 are recentrally located bore 68 having a diameter of The discs 62 may be fabricated by a stamping, molding or casting operation. As an example, discs 62 could be in the form of aluminum or zinc die castings, or injection molded or machined individually if required. The rim part 64 is provided with a plurality of holes 70 which are arranged on a base circle having a diameter of 317'12. Thirty holes 70 are employed and are equally spaced 12 apart. The holes 70 extend through the rim part 64 parallel to the axis of the bore 68. The holes 70 form bearing points for the pivot pins 72.

The eight discs 62 shown in FIG. 3 are designated Nos. 1-8 inclusive. Each disc 62 has a rim face or surface 74 and a spacer face or surface 76. In assembly, a pair of pins 72 are first inserted into holes 70 of the end disc No. 1. The two pins 72 will initially serve as means for properly aligning the discs during the assembly thereof. Disc No. 1 is placed with the rim surface 74 facing to the right. Disc No. 2 is inserted over the pins 72 until the spacer surface 76 thereonl abuts the spacer surface 76 of disc No. 1 to provide a groove 78 which is equal to twice the thickness of spacer part l66. Disc No. 3 is inserted over the pins 72 with the rim surface 74 being brought into contact with the corresponding rim surface 74 on Disc No. 2. Disc No. 4 is inserted over the pins 72 with spacer surface 76 being brought into contact with the corresponding spacer surface 76 on Disc No. 3. This sequence of assembly is repeated in order to form the additional grooves 78 until finally Disc No. E8 is inserted over the pins 72 with the rim surface 74 facing to the left as illustrated.

After the discs 62 have been arranged in the manner just described, with the holes 70 in proper alignment, the pins 72 and replaceable finishing fiaps 40 as described previously are inserted the hub 62, one by one, until all thirty iiaps 40 have been properly installed. It will of course be necessary to remove the two pins 72 used during the assembling of the discs and to reinsert same after inserting the corresponding flaps. Thereafter one end of each pin 72 is staked or headed at 80 to enlarge same. As an example, half of the pins 70 are staked adjacent rim surface 74 of Disc No. 1 and the other half are staked adjacent rim surface 74 of Disc No. 8. With such a construction the staked heads 80 will prevent separation of the discs 62 during use. However when the flaps 40 have Worn they can still be replaced by first removing one set of pins 72 from one end of the hub and then removing the other set of pins 72 from the other end of hub 60. The finishing flaps 40 and pins 72 are arranged to pivot through a small predetermined angular movement to help maintain the wheel or tool in proper balance as is achieved with tool 10 described previously.

In FIG. 4 the modified hub 84 when assembled is similar in construction and function to hub 60 with the exception that the rim part and spacer part are not fabricated in one piece as with disc 62. Hub 84 comprises a plurality of rings or rims 86 and a plurality of spacers 88 which may be fabricated according to the process described for discs 62. Rings 86 each have a uniform thickness of .24 an outside diameter of 4 and an inside diameter of As with the other embodiments, a plurality of holes 90 defining bearing points are provided in each rim or ring 86 on a pitch circle having a diameter of 311/32". Holes 90 are of the same size and are equally spaced as described in connection with the embodiment in FIG. 3.

Spacers 818 each has an outside diameter of 3", an inside diameter of 2.010 ijgg and a thickness of .'255.

In assembly the rims 86 and spacers 88 are mounted upon a tubular sleeve 92 having a length corresponding to the length of the tool. One rim 86 is initially provided with a pair of temporary guide pins 96 which have previously been formed with enlarged heads 98. Thereafter, two spacers 88 are inserted on sleeve 92 and are brought into engagement with rim 86. Next a pair of rims 86 are inserted over the sleeve 92 and the alignment pins 96 and are brought into engagement with the spacers 88 in order to form the first groove 94. The aforementioned sequence is repeated by next inserting two additional spacers 88 followed by the insertion of two rims 86, etc., until the hub 84 is of the requisite length.

After the rims 86 and spacers 88 have been arranged in the manner just described, with the holes 90 in proper alignment, pins 96 and replaceable finishing flaps 40 as described previously are inserted in the hub 84, one by one, until all thirty flaps 40 have been properly installed. It will, of course, be necessary to remove the two alignment pins 96 and to insert the corresponding finishing fiaps 40 in the hub 84.

In installing the pins 96, half are inserted in hub 84 adjacent one end surface thereof and the other pins 96 are inserted in the hub adjacent the other end surface thereof. With such a construction approximately an equal number of heads 98 of pins 96 will be located in each end rim of the hub 84 in order to prevent separation of the rims 86 during use. However, when the flaps 40 have been worn they can still be replaced by first removing one set of pins 96 from one end of the hub and then removing the other set of pins 96 from the other end of the hub 84. As with the other embodiments, the finishing flaps 40 and pins 96 are arranged to pivot through a small predetermined angular movement to help maintain the wheel in proper balance as is achieved with tool previously described.

It may be required or desired to fixedly secure the rims 86 and spacers 88 on the sleeve 92. This would be accomplished by bonding, welding, brazing or keying the component parts 86, 88 to the sleeve 92 upon assembly on the sleeve. With such a construction the holes 90 in the rims `86 would be aligned longitudinally and spacers 88 would be prevented from rotating.

It should be understood that the rims 86 and spacers 88 may be made of any width to accommodate finishing flaps having thereon various types or kinds of lacings or clinchers.

The hub 100 illustrated in FIG. 5 is similar in dimensions and construction to the hub 84 illustrated in FIG. 4 with the exception of the provisions of alignment rods 101 and end caps 103. The plurality of rims 102 and spacers 106 are arranged in side by side abutting relationship as illustrated. Each rim 102 is provided with two additional holes 104 (besides the thirty pin holes 105) and each spacer 106 is provided with two holes 108. Hub 100 utilizes spacers 106 having a thickness of .510 equal to the width of the grooves 107 in the hub 100.

In assembly, the pair of alignment rods 101, which are of circular cross section, are inserted into the aligned holes 104, 108 of the rims 102 and spacers 106 respectively to prevent same from rotating and to insure proper longitudinal alignment of the pin openings 105 in rims 102. After the rims 102 and spacers 106 have been assembled, the usual pivot pins 109 and finishing flaps 40 are inserted into the aligned pin openings 105, one by one, until the fiaps 40 are installed. Each end cap 103 includes a plate 110 with a centrally located bore 112 and a flange 114. After the fiaps 40 have been installed in hub 100, end caps 103 are placed over the ends, with flanges 114 frictionally engaging the outer periphery of the end rims 102. The end caps 103 hold the pins 109 and rods 101 in the hub 100. The aps 40 when worn can be replaced by removing end caps 103 and pins 109. Rods 101 will hold the spacers and rims together. By using end caps 103 it is not necessary to stake the pins 109 or to use pins with enlarged heads as with hub 60 and hub 84 respectively.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified disc 120 including a rim part 122 and a spacer part 124. Disc 120 has substantially the same dimensions and construction as discs 62 of hub 60 and in addition includes a pair of radially extending slots 126 and 128 in spacer part 124. Slots 126, 128 extend radially outwardly in both directions from' the centrally located bore 130 to the outer periphery of the spacer part 124. Discs can be used in hub 60 in place of some or all of the discs 62. The slots 126, 128 provide radial or axial passages for the fiow of air in order to help to dissipate heat generated during use of the tool or wheel. The intensity of the heat is greater near the center area of the wheel than on the outer periphery thereof.

I claim:

1. An adjustable width rotary finishing tool having a longitudinal axis comprising a hub having a plurality of coaxial discs arranged in side by side abutting re1a tionship along the axis, each of said discs including a rim part of relatively larger diameter having a cylindrical uninterrupted outer surface and a spacer part integral with the rim part of relatively smaller diameter and having a cylindrical uninterrupted outer surface, the spacer parts on a pair of adjacent discs having fiat end surfaces which abut, the outer surfaces on the spacer parts of adjacent discs cooperating with the oppositely facing flat end surfaces of the corresponding rim parts to define a circumferentially extending endless groove on the outer periphery of said hub, a plurality of radially spaced openings extending longitudinally through said rims and the end surfaces of said hub, each opening being defined by a series of longitudinally aligned annular bearing points in said rims, a plurality of pins extending through said openings and carried by the bearing points on said hub, a plurality of generally radially extending finishing aps having inner and outer ends, each flap being provided with retainer means on the inner end thereof which extend into said grooves in alignment with the corresponding bearing points, said pins extending through said openings and the retainer means of said flaps to mount said finishing iiaps and means provided to hold the discs in assembled relation.

2. The adjustable width rotary finishing tool of claim 1 wherein the spacer part on at least one of said discs includes slots extending radially from the center to the outer surface thereof to provide passages for a ow of air to dissipate heat generated during use of the tool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,533,198 10/1970 Burns 51-337 2,597,421 5/ 1952 White 51--334 2,539,844 1/1951 Kingsbury 51-356 X 445,005 1/ 1891 Mahler 51-207 X HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner 

